Too Short
by XbuttonsX
Summary: Because the time we have with the ones we love is Too Short.


**Too Short**

This seems really rushed but that is the way it was meant to be. Thought of this fic a _long_ time ago listening to the song "If Today Was Your Last Day" by Nickelback before it was popular. Actually, came up wirth this plot a year ago. O.o

**Summary **- Axel is in a relationship with his best friend's sister to hide away his feelings for Roxas. He just can't bring himself to tell the younger blonde how he cares for him. What happens when Roxas has to go off to collage and leave Axel feeling empty and alone?

**Disclaimer - **Own not the characters nor the inspirationl song or a transport truck.

**Warnings - **Mild straightness (-gasp- Ahh!), character death, swearing, boyxboy

**Pairing - **Akuroku, Onesided AxeLarxene, Implied SeiferLeon

--

Because the time we spend together in this world always seems too short.

--

"Hey, Rox-as, are you busy tonight?"

"No, but you are."

"Wha-? I am?"

The blonde rolled his cerulean eyes before setting them on his redheaded best friend. "Remember? Your date with Larxene? She's been going on about it for a week now."

Axel flushed red, a sad smile ghosting onto his lips. "Right, yeah, that. I'm starting to regret asking her out." Roxas quirked a blonde eyebrow.

"Oh really? Hurt her and I swear to God, Axel, you'll regret it."

It was Axel's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. She's your sis and I have to respect that. I'll try my hardest not to break her little heart."

"You better not."

"Don't worry. She'll grow on me if I give her enough time. Now, let's go get some ice cream before my," Axel shuddered. "_Big Date_."

"I guess."

--

Axel couldn't help laughing, the smaller blonde gazing up at him, perplexed. Bending down, Axel put out his hand, a silent question as it hovered near the blonde's cheek. His answer was a mild wince. Another laugh and Axel swiped away a speck of blue-white ice cream that had managed to find itself on his best friend's nose. Their proximity caused a shiver to run through his body and he was suddenly glad that Roxas had his eyes closed. He could feel the blonde's breath ghosting over his fingers.

"Um, Axel, done?"

"Wha, uh, oh, yeah. Sorry. You look a lot like your sister, you know?"

Roxas scowled. "You saying I look like a girl?"

"Maybe she looks like a man?"

Roxas blushed and an awkward silence fell over the two. "Rox-"

"Do you love her?"

"What?"

"Do you love her? Do you really love my sister?"

Another silence descended as Axel tried to find the right words and Roxas tried not to think about what the redhead's response might be. "I ... I suppose you could say that. I guess I love her."_Because she reminds me so much of you_.

"Oh. Okay."

"Why?"

"I ... was just wondering. Hey, you gotta get back soon, ya'know. She'll throw a hissy fit if you're late."

Axel sighed, fisting his knee under the picnic table they were sitting at. "I know. I've got _that _memorized. Happened enough times."

--

_Wonder if he's thinking about me, too_. Roxas thought angrily, slamming his fist into the punching bag in the basement.

"What's got you so riled up, lamer?"

Roxas groaned at his brother's voice from the stairs. "What do you care?" Another punch to the bag. A chuckle from behind him.

"Someone's _jealous_."

"Why should I be?"

"'Cause Lark is gonna be gettin' laid but you aren't."

"Dumb reason."

"But it's true, isn't it?"

"Nope. Not at all." _Okay, maybe a little._

"Of course."

"Just leave me alone, Seifer. I'm not in the mood. You wanna take this thing's place?"

Seifer chuckled. "Okay, fine. I'll leave you be. And _not _because of such a lame threat. Leon 's waiting _ever so patiently _upstairs. Guess you _are _the only one not getting laid tonight."

"_Seifer_! Hurry up and leave that punk alone!"

"Hold your chocobos, babe. I'm coming."

Roxas glared at his smirking elder. "Make sure you get them hormones in check soon, twerp. Don't want you keeping us up all night with your racket."

"Like I'm not gonna be kept up with yours."

--

"Women are so picky, Rox-as. I vote you steer clear of 'em."

Roxas laughed, a blush creeping over his features, turning away from the lounged out redhead beside him. "What makes you say this?"

Axel groaned, gazing up at the fluffy white clouds drifting lazily overhead in the pale-blue sky. "Your sister. Last night. She was so .. ugh ... I wasn't allowed to do my own thing. She wanted to be touched where she want-"

"Ugh, Axel, that's my _sister _you're talking about!"

"So?"

"I don't want to hear about you touching my sister!"

"Me either." Axel shuddered. "How long's it been since my first date with her?"

"How should I know?"

"Dunno. Just thought you might."

"Well, I don't." Roxas pouted.

"Aww, Rox-as, wipe that sad face off! Be happy!"

Roxas continued to pout so Axel rolled onto his stomach, drawing his legs up beneath him, crouching in front of the blonde. "Last warning." Axel waited a millisecond before leaping onto the blonde, pinning him to the ground, a Cheshire grin plastered on his face. Roxas struggled for a moment, large blush covering his cheeks until Axel pressed their foreheads together, causing both of them to take in a quick, steadying breath. "What are you afraid of?"

Slamming his perfect blue eyes closed so that he didn't have to face the redhead, Roxas shook his head. "Everything," he hissed. "We're going off to college. And now you're dating my sister. You don't need me anymore, Axel. And that scares me so bad!" Roxas could feel the pinpricking tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Rox ... Don't ever say that again. I need you. I always will. ... Because ... Rox, I love you. You are the world to me. I don't think I'd be able to go on without you around."

Breath faltered in the blonde's throat at the redhead's confession. Maybe he had heard it wrong. Maybe he mistook it. These things didn't happen. Not to him. He didn't get what he wanted. He felt the redhead's breath inching closer to mingle with his own, rushing in through his slightly parted lips and his mind rushed, his heart hammered. He could feel his pulse ringing in his ears.

"A-Axel..."

His breath caught in his throat and he felt like he was about to drown. A shrill voice broke through his hazed mind.

"Axel, what are you two doing? C'mon, it's almost four o'clock! We have to go if we want to keep our reservations."

Slowly, the redhead crawled up off the younger boy whose face was still beat red. "I wasn't lying, you know. You'll always be my best friend." Turning from his blue-eyed best friend to his green-eyed girlfriend, Axel allowed that smirk to stay on his lips. "Sorry, Lark. We were just having a friendly wrestling match. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

--

He felt himself break. Friend? That's ... all that Axel had meant? That they would be friends, no matter what? _'I wasn't allowed to do my own thing.' _Roxas shuddered. What would he do? Would he let Axel take control?

"Gah, what the hell! That's gross. I don't

(Rox, I love you.)

love him. I don't, I don't! I can't!"

(I need you)

He wrapped his arms around his knees, feeling the tears washing over his cheeks. Why was he crying? Why did he feel like something had been ripped from his chest? Axel had said that he loved him. So, shouldn't he be overjoyed? He loved his best friend, his best friend loved him. Things should be great. But, friends. He had stated very clearly that they would always be _friends_. Maybe ... that meant that Axel didn't really _love _him.

"Gah, God damn Axel!"

"What's the matter, twerp?"

"Leave me alone, Seifer. I'm not in the mood."

"Ooh, twerp's been crying? What's up?"

"Nothing," the younger blonde hissed, hiding himself further in his pillows, away from the pestering elder.

"Of course not. Ah well, I don't care. This came in the mail for you today."

A slightly thick letter landed beside his back. "Wh-What is it?"

"You'll see."

Seifer chuckled, departing. Roxas turned slowly, picking up the letter in shaking hands, instantly recognizing the return address. With trembling fingers, the blonde hesitantly opened his acceptance notice.

--

"Ah, Rox, you'll be going off to college in only a couple more days."

"Uh, yeah."

"Won't that be great?"

The blonde stayed silent, being in a constant depression ever since the initial enthrallment had died down. He was sitting with Axel out on his front lawn, waiting for his elder sister to come and steal the redhead away.

"You don't want to go, do you?"

"I already told you, I don't want to leave you."

"What?" The redhead gaped, sitting up to gaze at the distant blonde. "You ... never said that..."

"Well ... I said it now."

"Then I just have to try to get into college too."

"But .."

"No buts. As long as it makes you cheer up, I'd even swallow a few swords! Swords on fire!"

Roxas laughed despite himself. "You wanna die so bad?"

"Wha? No! I wanna prove that I'd do anything!"

Roxas stared at his clenched hands, a quiver running along his bottom lip. "Say ... Say you ... Say you love me again."

"What? Roxas, speak up, I couldn't hear you."

"I ... I said ... Say you love me again."

There was no mistake in the blonde's words this time. Axel just gaped at him, a hidden something rolling over his body. Roxas leveled his gaze on the redhead, a defiant wisp of moisture dancing over his cerulean orbs. "I-I ... Ah ... Nevermind. It's stupid. See you, Axel." Roxas chomped his lower lip to stifle the tears as he shot to his feet, yanking his wrist free from the redhead when he grabbed hold. "Just leave me alone, Axel."

"But ... Rox ..."

"Bye, Axel."

The words were like fire, singeing the redhead's fingertips, causing him to let go with a start. The blonde disappeared into the house with a slam of the door. "But, Rox ... I do. I do love you!"

--

This wasn't right. What he was doing was a betrayal to everyone. Although, it wasn't really her on the couch, arching her back to his touch. It wasn't her mouth, moaning out his name. It wasn't her neck he was lapping at, sinking his teeth into, leaving a rosy mark. It wasn't her chest his hands were meshing. It wasn't her green eyes rolled back in pleasure. No, it was all her little brother. Everything about her, Axel had managed to morph into a perfect image of Roxas.

"Axel?"

Even her moan was the sound of the younger blonde. "A-Axel?" Too real. Not even Axel's imagination was that good. His mouth left her tender flesh as he leaned back to rest on her writhing legs. "Axel? Wh-What are you doing?"

Axel refused to look over to the door, to the younger blonde, to the flesh and blood of his hallucinations. "R-Rox-as... Rox-as ...." The redhead began to back away from the elder blonde, but tensed when he felt her long sharp nails digging into his bared back.

The redhead felt the fire broiling in his belly as Roxas sobbed out. "I ... just ... I'm leaving now. ... I ... wanted ... to say ... goodbye." Roxas ran from the room.

"Ahh, Rox-as ..."

Larxene smiled sadly up at her boyfriend. "Go on, Axel. I've seen it for a while now. It's obvious to everyone, but you and the twerp. You love each other. Go tell him."

"So ... wait, what? You're okay with this?"

"Why else would I suggest we do this? I guess I figured you would realize before it got too deep."

"Oh, Lark, you're amazing."

Axel shot off the woman below him, grabbing desperately at his shirt, hauling it on over his head as he flung himself down the stairs. "Roxas!" He knew that there was no hope. The blonde had already left the house and was headed for the train station. "Rox-as, come back, please! Please!" Tears began to gather in the corners of the redhead's eyes, feeling as though he had just seen the blonde for the last time. Until a flash of blonde caught his eye. "Roxas! Roxas, dear God, kid, listen to me! Roxas! Wait!"

"No, Axel. I'm leaving. You don't care. God damn it! You don't care!"

"But Rox-as! Please!"

The blonde turned to face his best friend, the tears stilling cascading down his cheeks. Cerulean orbs widened in shock. "Axel, wait!"

"No, Rox-as! I've waited for so long! I'm not going to wait any longer!"

"No, seriously, Axel, wait! Stop for a minute."

"I'm not going to stop. Not until I tell you the truth." The redhead ran out onto the pavement, crossing onto a semi-deserted intersection. "I'm not gonna wait any more, Rox. I can't. I've waited so long to tell you I love you. I love you more than anything! Please, why don't you tell me _you _love _me_! Rox-as, I've done what you wanted most, now do what I want most."

"Axel, move!"

"Wha-?"

The pain rocked through the redhead before he knew what was going on. Sounds reverberated around his mind, causing him to cry out. Metal scaring pavement, brakes screeching to a halt, Roxas' screams, his own pitiful cries. The transport truck screeched to a stop, the driver jumping out.

"He just jumped out in front of my…! I swear, I didn't see him! He just jumped out in front of me!"

But Axel couldn't hear him. Or the blonde that was cradling his mangled corpse. Axel had died without truly knowing how the blonde felt for him. He died without hearing what he wanted most. He never heard Roxas say "I love you".

--

Sometimes life is too short not to take risks. Because what are you living for if what you truly love slips away from you?

-

The End

-

I still do like this story, even though it is rather cliche. -shrug- Cliche is good sometimes. :D

Each day's a gift and not a given right ... Could you say goodbye to yesterday? Would you live each moment like your last? -_If Today Was Your Last Day_

_Nickelback_

~xbuttonsx~


End file.
